This invention relates generally to the field of sewing, and, in particular, to a system for making a waterproof seam.
In sewing, a seam is the join where two or more layers of fabric or other material are held together with stitches. The nature of sewing a seam is have a needle puncture a series of holes in the materials to be joined and simultaneously inter-leavening thread through the holes thereby fastening the materials to each other.
Many seam applications require the seam to be water resistant, and even water proof. Examples of this are outdoor clothing, tents, and sleeping bags. The problem with conventional seams is that water can pass through the holes alongside the thread, and also between the joined materials. The prior art addresses this problem by applying an adhesive tape over the seam thereby sealing the seam. The seal tape is a strip of adhesive coated material applied over the seam with a separate seam-sealing machine. This is costly both in the requirement of a separate machine and also, more importantly, in the extra labor required to operate the separate machine.